This invention relates generally to fiber optic connectors and, more particularly, to a wall-mountable plate incorporating an in-line connector for two fiber optic cables.
There are many instances in the field of fiber optic data transmission, such as in computer LANs (Local Area Networks), which require the in-line connection of two fiber optic cables. This in-line connection can be made via an unmounted connector or through a building wall. The latter requires the provision of a wall-mountable plate mounting the in-line connector.
In some termination systems, both cables are fitted with identical male terminal connectors each having a fiber-carrying ferrule that carries an enlarged collar. Another collar is slidable on the ferrule and a compression spring is entrapped between the collars.
These male connectors are inserted into a double-ended female connector receptacle having a central bore for aligning the optical fibers carried by the male connectors. The slidable collars are latched to the female connector housing so that the springs bias the ferrule ends together to abut the ends of the optical fibers. An arrangement of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,446 to Hinckley.
This type of terminal structure includes a ferrule, a spring and the collars which are collectively applied to the end of a fiber optic cable together when terminating the cable. Because of their integrated design, these parts are usually scrapped when determination of that cable is required. The increasing use of fiber optics in LANs has accelerated the need to reduce the cost of fiber optic data transmission systems and their component parts. It is therefore desirable to reduce the cost of fiber optic connector systems described above by simplifying their design and the number of parts required.